Jack Benny saw Jack Paar perform for servicemen in the Pacific during World War II, and was impressed with his comedy material and delivery. He advised Jack to come see him after the war was over. It wasn't until 1947 that Benny finally got in touch with Paar, and decided to give him a break very few "unknown" performers ever got on radio: Jack would become Jack's summer replacement that season. What's more, Benny's company, "Amusement Enterprises", would produce and "package" the show for his sponsor, American Tobacco [Lucky Strike], and that each of Benny's four writers- Sam Perrin, Milt Josefsberg, George Balzer and John Tackaberry- would rotate as "script consultants" during the summer, working with Paar's writers [including Jack Douglas, who later became a fixture on Paar's TV shows]. And Benny himself would turn up as a guest star (along with Dennis Day), as "insurance". Jack's confidence in Paar's ability to be as funny as Benny himself was unprecedented- and was proven correct. "THE JACK PAAR PROGRAM" became one of the most talked-about summer replacement shows of 1947. It was successful enough for American Tobacco to continue it in the fall on ABC...but low ratings, Paar's attitude towards his writing staff {according to Milt Josefsberg, some of them came and went}, and an article on his opinion toward radio comedy [Paar made the mistake of being quoted that comedians like Fred Allen were "old fashioned"] was enough to end Jack's radio show by the end of 1947. But this is history in the making...you may not care for Jack's cynical attitude in his monologues and sketches, but he WAS funny.

I agree he didn't create the show; but most people give him credit for it because he brought it up from what Steve Allen had done with it (and I think Allen did a great job with the show). But, if you want to give credit where credit is due, Steve Allen pretty much built upon Broadway Open House, which starred Jerry Lester some evenings (with Dagmar as a regular) and Morey Amsterdam on other evenings.

I personally like Paar's old radio shows but I don't think there's enough of a body of work still in existence (that I've found, anyway) to rate it.

X-1 but I am familiar with Jack. He didn't create the Tonight Show (that was Steve Allen) but he was one of the early hosts...and I remember his nightclub appearances and radio program real well. I give this four stars.